A COW called Martha from a small herd of South Devon cattle at Kinsham, Bredon, who has set the show rings alight at this year's summer shows, continued her remarkable success at the Three Counties Show.

Bred by Margaret and Keith Plain at their Foxhole Farm, Foxhole Martha, a six-year-old with her five and a half month old calf at foot, took the breed championship, following similar successes at the Devon County Show, the Royal Bath and West and the Royal Cornwall, taking the interbreed championships at two of them.

A delighted Mrs Plain said: "She is a really fantastic cow and it is even m more pleasing that we bred her ourselves. Like most of our cattle, she is a real gentle giant but very easy to handle"

Mr and Mrs Plain have 22 cows in their 50 head of cattle.

"We are doing very well for a small herd," she said. "We have decided to give the Royal Show a miss this year and Martha's next appearance will be at the Royal Welsh in mid-July."

Martha's two year old son Foxhole Menzies has been sold to the Genus breeding company and her 16-month old son Menzies 2 was part of the Foxhole team at the show where he was placed second in his class. They also took second with Foxhole Buttercup 2 in 2003 heifer class.

Competition in the South Devon ring was mainly between Mr and Mrs Plain and Douglas Scott with a team from the Grove Herd at Wells Folly, More ton. Mr Scott's senior bull Grove Hector 34 was champion male, Grove Hector 36 was best young bull and reserve champion male, Grove Willowherb 21 was second to Martha in the cow and calf class and Willowherb 34 second in the 2004 heifer class. Mr Scott won the group prize with Mr and Mrs Plain runners-up.

Highland cattle from the Craycombe herd of Mr H. A. L. Dawes were among leading winners in their class.

They were led by heather of Craycombe, 2003 heifer class winner and reserve supreme champion. Prince of Craycombe won the junior bull class and Jasmin of Craycombe the 2004 heifer class.

In the dual purpose cattle classes, Elizabeth McKechnie, of Stanley Farm, Far Stanley, Winchcombe, took the reserve breed championship in the Gloucester ring with her 2003 bull Stanley Arthur.

In the British Charrollais classes the father and daughter partnership od Derrick Daffurn and Jennifer Curtis, of Elm Farm, Wickhamford, took the reserve supreme championship and the special award for a home-bred animal with a yearling ewe.

Nick Oughton, of Lower Rye, Moreton, took the trophy for the best ram lamb.

In the Zwartbles sheep classes, Ms K Jones, of Radford Road, Rous Lench, was reserve supreme champion and reserve champion female with a shearling ewe.